the
same direction, but had not proceeded more than 200 yards in the new
direction before the fugitives from the right became so numerous, and
the fleeing mule-teams and horsemen so thick, that it was impossible
for me to go forward with my command without its becoming a confused
mass. I therefore halted, and awaited developements. Gen. Van Cleve
and Col. Harker not meeting with so much opposition pressed forward
and got into position beyond the railroad, ready to open on the enemy
as soon as our fugitives were out of the way. They soon opened fire,
joined by some batteries and troops belonging to the center (Gen.
Thomas' corps) and Estep's battery of my brigade, and after about an
hours' fighting along this new line, during which time I was moving
my command from point to point, ready to support any troops that most
needed it. The onslaught of the enemy seemed to be in a great
measure checked, and we had reasonable probability of maintaining
this line. During all this time my men were exposed to a severe fire
of shot and shell from a battery on the other side of the river, and
several men were killed. About this time an aid of Gen. Palmer's came
galloping up to me, and said that unless he could be supported his
division would give way. Palmer's division formed the right of Gen.
Crittenden's line of battle on the morning of the 31st. After
consulting with Gen. Wood he ordered me to send a regiment to support
Gen. Palmer. Accordingly I sent the 3d Kentucky regiment, commanded
by Lieut. Col. Sam'l McKee. Before the regiment had been ten minutes
in its new position, Capt. Kerstetter, my Adjutant General, reported
to me that Col. McKee had been killed and the regiment badly cut up.
I therefore moved with the other three regiments of my command to
their relief. The line they were trying to hold was that port of our
original line of battle lying immediately to the right of the
railroad, and forming an acute angle with the same. This portion of
our original line, about two regimental fronts, together with two
fronts to the left held by Colonel Wagner's brigade, was all of our
original line of battle but what our troops had been driven from; and
if they succeeded in carrying this they would have turned our left,
and a total route of our forces could not then have been avoided.
Seeing the importance of the position, I told my m